Freeze-Dried vs. Dehydrated Eggs: What’s the Difference?

I know I’ve touched on this topic in previous articles, here and there.  Apparently, I haven’t compiled all the information in one spot.  At least, I can’t find it.  And with eggs approaching record high prices in many locations, now seems to be a great time to address the issue.  Well, perhaps it should have been done earlier so that we could have stocked up better.  I, for one, did not foresee eggs skyrocketing to close to a dollar apiece while other staples continued on their more modest trajectory in price increases. 

I wrote a week or two ago about stumbling upon a killer deal on “plant-based egg substitute.”  I bought all those packages at the time.  Spending $2.49 for the equivalent of 34 eggs to be used in baked goods can honestly be considered a wise investment.  And when six more packages appeared on the store shelves today with the same clearance pricing, it was another no-brainer to bring them home with me, since fresh eggs today are more expensive than they were last week.  I think today’s cheapest dozen was $6.49.  Too.  Much.  Money. 

No fresh eggs came home today.  Aaron is hoping that they’ll still be relatively cheap when we go to Sam’s Club in the big city later in the week.

So often people speak of buying freeze-dried eggs, when in reality they are buying dehydrated eggs.  There is a distinct difference between the two. 

Freeze-dried eggs can be done at home with a freeze-dryer or purchased from Amazon.  I have never seen freeze-dried eggs for sale in a grocery store.  Scrolling through Amazon with freeze-dried eggs in the search bar reveals only one company that claims to sell freeze-dried eggs for human consumption—OvaEasy, running at about $2.75 per ounce at the most economical.  The packaging indicates that these are crystals, not powder.  And indeed, freeze-dried eggs look quite crystalline, almost like glitter.  (There are also freeze-dried egg yolks marketed as dog and cat treats.) I can run my freeze-dried eggs for several minutes in my Vitamix blender, and they will still be crystalline.  They never achieve the powdery appearance of dehydrated eggs.

Powdered eggs, as the name suggests, are always very powdery in appearance.  They are dehydrated, not freeze-dried.  And they can often be found on the shelves of major grocery stores like Walmart and Winco.  I would be quite wary of any company selling “powdered” eggs that also claims they are freeze-dried. If you put freeze-dried eggs in the search bar at Amazon, the vast majority of the hits will be for powdered eggs.  Buyer beware.  And when buying powdered eggs, be sure to compare apples to apples.  Some companies shrink their serving size so that they can claim there are more eggs in the can.  Take a look at the calories in the nutrition facts label and use that to compare serving sizes and nutrition.  Also, keep in mind that some companies pasteurize their powdered eggs.  Augason Farms is one such example.  Finally, pay attention to the cost per egg.  As of this date (5 February 2025), most are selling for about $1 per egg, but one company is charging nearly $2 each. 

The astronomical price of eggs may have some people contemplating breaking into their supplies of powdered or freeze-dried eggs.  So we should also review how they are best used or not used. 

Powdered eggs should not be used in making meatloaf or mayonnaise (though some have claimed good results, the several attempts I made at using powdered eggs to make mayo were nothing but nasty), or brushing as a wash on breads or pastries.  They work really well in all kinds of baked goods.  Pasteurized powdered eggs are perfect for those who like to eat raw cookie dough (make sure to pasteurize the flour as well) or incorporate eggs in their breakfast smoothies.  And pasteurized eggs are one tweak to make powdered milk taste like whole.  (Shocking, I know, but I’ve tried it and it truly did taste like whole milk to me.)  While they can be used for scrambled eggs, the result is usually a bit gray and unappealing.

Freeze-dried eggs make perfect mayonnaise.  They can also be used in baking and almost anywhere powdered eggs are used, except when pasteurized eggs are needed, like for improving the taste of powdered milk.  They make great scrambled eggs.  If you are using eggs freeze-dried at home, make sure they have been blended first to break them up.  Not only will they rehydrate quicker this way, you’ll also avoid having egg clumps in your dough or batter. 

Links to related posts:

Making Mayo with Freeze-Dried Eggs:  Does It Work?  

Making Powdered Milk Taste Like Whole Milk  

Egg Substitutes  

Another Egg Substitute Worth Considering